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Coshocton County commemorates 9/11

Coshocton resident Lister Endsley, center, seated, is the county's oldest World War Two veteran at 100. He served in the U.S. Army during the Battle of the Bulge. Coshocton County honored her veterans and first responders Friday during a ceremony on Courtsquare marking the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.(Photo: Joe Williams/Tribune)Buy Photo

COSHOCTON - Coshocton County honored local veterans and first responders Friday afternoon during a noontime remembrance ceremony on Courtsquare to commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11.

Jeff Corder, formerly a fire inspector with the Coshocton Fire Department and currently a resource officer for Coshocton City Schools, said most adults can remember where they were and what they were doing the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

That day, terrorists crashed two airliners into the World Trade Center in New York City and a third into the Pentagon. A fourth crashed in an empty field in Pennsylvania.

In all, 2,997 people died that day, Corder said.

"It's still a pretty emotional day for me," Coshocton Fire Chief Michael Layton said. "I was working that day and I watched it on TV, like everyone else. We paid a pretty big price that day in the fire service."

To honor fallen firefighters during Friday's service, Coshocton Firefighter Brian Stittler rang "four fives" on a fire bell. While the local fire department never used that code, Layton said, it historically represents fallen firefighters.

Sgt. Chip Udischas of the Coshocton County Sheriff's Office said that while other cities in America currently face dissent between citizens and law enforcement officers, that is not the case in Coshocton.

"Our community supports us and our community supports other first responders," Udischas said. "For that, we are truly blessed."

Brad Collmar, former commander of American Legion Post 65, called the 9/11 tragedy "our Pearl Harbor." Collmar organized Friday's commemoration, a tradition he created by also overseeing ceremonies for the first, fifth and 10th anniversaries.

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Craig and Julie Border, of Keene, listen to taps after laying a ceremonial wreath for U.S. military personnel killed in action, including their son, U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Raymond Border, who died in Afghanistan.(Photo: Joe Williams/Tribune)

"It's kind of like it's a part of history, and it's on the calendar," he said. "I'm trying to keep it where people remember."

Ken Smailes, news director for WTNS Radio, served as master of ceremonies Friday. He thanked a crowd of about 600 people for "coming here to remember 9/11 and the price that this country paid to preserve our freedom."

Smailes also thanked local schools for participating in the service, adding "to keep the spirit, to keep the remembrance alive, it does depend on the future generations."

Friday's ceremony featured vocal performances by the River View High School Choir, under the direction of Dawn Anglin, and the Coshocton High School Band performing the "Star-Spangled Banner" and the Armed Forces Medley, directed by Barry Hardesty.

Craig and Julie Border, of Keene, laid a wreath to honor Coshocton's military men and women killed in action, including their son, U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Raymond Border, who was killed in October of 2011 while serving in Afghanistan.

Retired Army First Sergeant Tony Jaqua, of Warsaw, who served during Desert Storm, was among the Coshocton County soldiers honored Friday. The ceremony brought back "a lot of memories," Jaqua said.

"I spent 22 years of my life in uniform," he said. "It's good to see people come together and remember what happened on that day."

Larry Endsley, of Coshocton, attended Friday's remembrance with his mother Lola, brother Rodney and father Lister Endsley, Coshocton County's oldest living World War Two veteran, who turned 100 last month. The elder Endsley survived the Battle of the Bulge and earned a Purple Heart while serving in the U.S. Army's 115th Anti-Aircraft Battalion.

Other special events also are scheduled this weekend locally to commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11.

The Miller Funeral Home is hosting a 9/11 Memorial Wall open for public viewing on its front lawn at 639 Main St. now through Monday. The wall features the names of all of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Coshocton's Church of the Nazarene, 1058 Orange St., plans to honor the county's first responders with a special service and lunch Sunday, the 15th anniversary of 9/11. The service, which is open to the public, will begin at 10:45 a.m., according to Pastor Dave Boots, with lunch to follow.

The service will recognize firefighters, medics and law enforcement officers throughout the county, Boots said.

"We do appreciate all the work these guys do," Boots said. "A lot of these guys are volunteers who go out there and risk their lives."